Handle applicator



Aug. 18, 1970 -N. W.'WALKUP I' 24,2

HAfiDLE APPLICA'I'OR Filed Dec. 28, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 uoRms W.WALKUP JAMES W.MAUC.K

mvm o. HOOD whom v 1 grog} INVENTORS v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS IRVIN D HOOD Aug. 18, 1970 N. w. WALKUP ETAL HANDLE APPLICATOR Filed Dec. 28, 1967 I Illllilllfllllll MMIIIIII "'"immm ill" NORRIS W.WALKUP JAMES w. MAUCK Aug. 18, 1970 N. w.- WALKUP ErAL 3,524,241

nmm AiPLIcA'ron w Filed Dec. 28, 1967 s Sheets-Sheet :s

NORRIS W. WALKUP JAMES W. MAUCK IRVIN D. HOOD *mo f INVENTORS United States Patent 3,524,241 HANDLE APPLICATOR Norris W. Walkup and James W. Mauck, Atwood,

and Irvin D. Hood, Tuscola, Ill., assignors to National Distillers and Chemical Corporation, New York, N.Y.,

a corporation of Virginia Filed Dec. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 694,308 Int. Cl. B23p 19/04, 11/00, 11/02 US. Cl. 29-208 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a handle attaching apparatus and more particularly to a holder and force applying mechanism whereby a container such as a plastic bottle may be positioned and a pivotal bail-type handle may be attached to said bottle.

It is.an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple, compact apparatus forpositioning a container and applying a handle thereto.

A further object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of the class set forth whereby an operator may readily and in a minimum of time apply adequate and properly located force to attach the extremities of an arched thermoplastic handle to a thermoplastic container, and without the necessity of softening the plastic by heat or other means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view thereof with parts broken away for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale illustrating a handle attached to a container; and

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged detailed views illustrating the progressive steps of attaching a handle to a container in accordance with the present invention.

Briefly stated, the present invention includes a supporting base housing portions of the apparatus and including retaining means for holding a receptacle in predetermined position, a fluid operated ram mounted at each side of the base and projecting in alignment with engaging means on said receptacle in position to engage the end portions of a bail-type handle, a valve within the supporting base and operatively connected to the rams, and a remote control for said valve, whereby an operator can use both hands to position a container and a handle for application of the latter to the container and can operate the remote control by a foot pedal or the like.

With further reference to the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention includes a base or housing 10 3,524,241 Patented Aug. 18, 1970 providing a supporting surface 11, and including side walls 12, and end walls 14 and 15. The base preferably is produced from sheet metal providing a rigid structure.

Mounted on the supporting surface -11 of the base is a substantially U-shaped clamping member 16 having a flat central web portion 17 and side members 18 which may be inwardly inclined and have outwardly curved leading edges 19 to facilitate the reception of an object or container between the side members 18. The web 17 is attached to the supporting surface 11 by any desired means such as by the bracket 20, bolts or other fastening means 21 being provided to insure a fixed association.

At each side of the base 10 a vertical bracket 25 is mounted having its lower end even with the lower edge of the side wall 12 and extending substantially above the base. Each bracket 25 includes a web 26 and side members 27 which decrease in width from about the level of the floor of the base to' the upper end of the bracket. The brackets are secured to the sidewalls 12 by welding or other suitable fastening means.

At the top of each of the bracket 25 a plate-like extension 30 is mounted on the web 26 by suitable fastening means 31. Preferably the plates or bracket 30 are vertically adjustable and each of the plates has an aperture located above the bracket 25 which receives the barrel 32 of an air cylinder or ram 33 which is provided with a threaded extremity for engagement with a nut 34 whereby the air cylinder is retained securely within its associated aperture.

Each of the rams has an end cap 36 which receives an end 37 of a fluid line 38. A second fluid line 39 has an end 39a connected to the air cylinder 33 on the remote side of a reciprocabel piston housed therein as is well known in this art. Extending inwardly of the plate 30' is a shaft 40 attached to the piston member within the cylinder, the shaft extending through a bushing 41. Mounted on the extremity of the shaft 40 is a substantially cylindrical tip 42 provided with a bore 43 for a purpose to be described hereafter. The ram 33 is of a conventional double acting fluid operated type that is well known in the art.

The fluid lines 38, 39 extend through the web 26 and side walls 12 into the supporting base 10 and through lead lines 46 and 48 are connected to a solenoid actuated distributing valve 50. The distributing valve is supplied with air under pressure from a suitable source (not shown) by means of a hose 51, connection 52, and line 53 and is electrically operated by cable 54 connected through switch 55 to supply line 56.

While various items of equipment may be used in accordance with well known practices, an air cylinder Model No. 30901-0010 by Schrader, a 4-Way midget solenoid valve catalog No. LB8345B1 by Asco, and a foot switch, Model No. 419-S by Linemaster have been found to perform satisfactorily.

The supply air is preferably on the order of 60 to p.s.i. and the solenoid valve operates on the conventional volt, 60 Hertz, single phase electrical power.

The tips 42 are preferably of austenitic stainless steel, although other materials may be used.

The apparatus is especially designed for engaging the end portions of a bail-type handle 61 with pins or the like 60 of a container such as a bottle 62. The handle and the bottle ordinarily are produced from thermoplastic materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or other suitable olefins. The plastic is of a nature that has some flexibility but resists stretching and returns to its orignial shape after a distorting force below its elastic limit is removed. In view of the load carrying capacity of the bottle, a strong handle is required, the assembly of the type under consideration requiring mechanical means or assistance due to the force required to eflect attachment.

As shown in FIGS. 6 through 9, the handle 61 has apertures 63 adjacent its end portions. The bottle has pins 60 extending from the opposite sides and suitably positioned and mounted, preferably near the shoulder of the bottle. Each pin has an enlarged head 64 which tapers outwardly to reduced diameter and a portion 65 contiguous to the neck 66 which projects sharply outwardly from the latter. The aperture 63 is slightly larger than the neck 66 and smaller than the main portion of the enlarged head 64. The handle must be forcibly pressed and expanded over the latter in order to engage the neck as indicated in FIGS. 7 through 9, the plastic returning to its original dimension after such expansion. The tips 42 of the rams have a bore 43 of sufiicient size so that the rim or body of the tip engages the end portion of the handle around the aperture and permits reception of the enlarged head of the pin when the handle is pressed onto the latter. In such operation the tapered portion of the head is forced into the aperture in the handle, expanding the same until it snaps onto the neck portion of the pin.

In operation the operator positions a bottle as indicated in FIG. 3 within the clamp 16. The height of the rams is adjusted, if necessary, by adjustment of plates 30 and the position of the bracket 20, until the center line of the rams is in alignment with the center line of the pins. Then with the pins of the bottle aligned with the rams, the handle is placed over the pins on the bottle, the operator having both hands free for this purpose. The operator then presses the switch 55 to operate the rams in order to force the end portion of the handle over the pins. In order to facilitate the latter, the handle may be moved so as to pivot on the pins while ram pressure is applied. The operation is carried out with the plastic at ambient temperature, below softening temperature and without any softening agent.

!While the operation as described is performed with the operator positioning the bottles and the handles manually, apparatus for automatically conveying bottles to the handle applying station, for positioning the handles, and for removing the bottles after completion of the operation may be provided.

It will be obvious to those skilled in this art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Therefore, the invention is not considered limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification and reference is had to the claims for summaries of the essentials of the invention and of the novel features of construction and novel combinations of parts for all of which protection is desired.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for attaching the extremities of a plastic handle to a container for pivotal engagement therewith, the handle being provided with an aperture adjacent each extremity thereof and the container having opposed mounting means for engagement with the apertures in said handle, each of said engaging means including an enlarged head and a reduced neck portion, the outer surface of each enlarged head being tapered to a slightly reduced diameter and the portion of said enlarged head which is contiguous to the reduced neck portion projecting sharply outwardly therefrom to provide an abutment against removal of a handle extremity after attachment, the apertures in said handle being of a diameter in excess of that of the reduced neck portions and less than that of the enlarged heads, the inherent resiliency of said plastic handle permitting pressing the extremities thereof over said enlarged heads and onto said neck portions, said apparatus comprising retaining means for positioning a container in handle applying position, and pressure applying means carried by said retaining means for engaging the handle extremities in surrounding relationship with respect to the apertures therein and forcing each enlarged head portion of said opposed mounting means through the associated handle aperture.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 where the container holding means includes a base portion and the pressure applying means include hydraulic cylinders supported adjustably upon brackets mounted upon said base portion.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 where the container holding means includes a base portion and retaining means for the container is mounted upon said base portion.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 where the pressure applying members are hydraulic cylinders, and remotely operated switch means is provided for supplying fluid under pressure to said hydraulic cylinders.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 where the hydraulic cylinders are double acting.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 where the pressure applying means comprises hydraulic cylinders mounted on opposite sides of the container retaining means, said hydraulic cylinders being disposed in axial alignment and extending toward each other at an elevation above said container retaining means.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 where each pressure applying means includes a handle engaging tip provided with a centrally located bore for the reception of the enlarged head of the handle engaging means after handle attachment has been completed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,464,511 3/1949 James 29438 2,972,184 2/ 1961 Andrew. 3,102,332 9/1963 Porcelli. 3,242,564 3/ 1966 Longhini 29-453 X THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 29-438, 453 

